Oxygen is drawn into the body from the atmosphere by breathing. Each lung is inundated by an estimate of 300 million alveoli, which are cocooned by numerous blood capillaries. Alveolar walls and capillary walls are extremely thin, this makes them permeable, therefore, oxygen passing into the alveoli immediately diffuses into the blood capillaries – the process takes up only .25 seconds in an adult at rest. The bulk of oxygen that diffuses into the blood binds itself to hemoglobin molecules that are found in red blood cells creating oxyhemoglobin. The smaller bulk of the oxygen that is left over dissolves into the blood plasma. Blood that is rich in oxygen (arterial blood) then flows through pulmonary veins, into the left atrium and left ventricle, and finally circulates throughout the entire body’s organs and their cells.
Hypoxemia is a below-normal level of oxygen in your blood, specifically in the arteries. Hypoxemia is a sign of a problem related to breathing or circulation, and may result in various symptoms, such as shortness of breath. Each hemoglobin molecule can carry a load of four oxygen atoms and SPO2 is the sum percentage of hemoglobin molecules, which are oxygen-rich. Pulse oximeters also measure and display the pulse rate while measuring the SPO2 levels. SpO2 readings are recorded in percentages. Normal levels of SpO2 rest between range of 95-100%.
Carbon Dioxide, which is a byproduct of cell metabolism, dissolves in the blood and is circulated back to the lungs where it is released as fresh oxygen attaches itself to hemoglobin and the cycle is replicated and repeated over and over again. The total amount of oxygen that is transported around the body is shaped by many factors: the lung factor which is the degree to which hemoglobin binds to oxygen, the anemic factor which is the hemoglobin concentration and the cardiac factor which is essentially the cardiac output. Oxygen saturation levels are an indicator of oxygen transportation in the body and point to whether oxygen is being supplied to the body, especially to the lungs in sufficient amounts.
What is SPO2
The pulse oximeter makes use of two frequencies of light (red and infrared) in order to gauge the percentage (%) of hemoglobin present in the blood that is dense with oxygen. The percentage calculated is called Blood Oxygen Saturation or SPO2. Hemoglobin molecules with attached oxygen molecules (Hbo2) absorb a different level of red and infrared light in comparison to hemoglobin molecules, which don’t have any oxygen molecule, attached (Hg). The difference range between absorption using an infrared light and a red light is used to gauge the SpO2 percentage. Each hemoglobin molecule can carry a load of four oxygen atoms and SPO2 is the sum percentage of hemoglobin molecules, which are oxygen-rich. Pulse oximeters also measure and display the pulse rate while measuring the SPO2 levels.
![Spo2 Spo2](/uploads/1/3/7/3/137340585/318265866.jpg)
SpO2 readings are recorded in percentages. Normal levels of SpO2 rest between range of 95-100%.
SPO2 Levels
Blood Oxygen Saturation levels can be read as follows:
- 90% or less: This is the red zone; you need to consider consulting your doctor.
- 91 to 94%: This percentage is lower than average for the population. It requires you to monitor your situation closely.
- 95 to 100%: This is the average for the majority of the population, the SPO2 normal values. This level indicates that your red blood cells are dense with oxygen, meaning they are transporting oxygen around the body sufficiently and efficiently.
Blood oxygen saturation levels that fall outside the range of 95 to 100% can cause a number of symptoms. Some of them are as follows:
- Trouble breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Increased heart rate
- A headache
- Confusion
- Chest pain
Acute and persistently lowSpO2 levels leads to a condition called Hypoxemia. Hypoxemia can pave way for various health issues including organ failure. Low oxygen levels can also cause serious problems such as lung disease and sleep apnea. These conditions may require additional oxygen to maintain the healthy functioning of cells and prevent long-term damage to them. Hypoxia can also be caused by asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, heart problems, and anemia.
During exercise, SpO2 levels gauge the amount of oxygen that is reaching the muscles during a regular workout. This is why it is extremely important to know SpO2 levels just after any sort of activity. High blood oxygen levels indicate that the body will transport oxygen throughout the body at a faster rate, which will, in turn, make workouts efficient and intense. Lowblood oxygen level mean that the body will transport oxygen to the muscles at a slower pace, which will cause fatigue and make the workout less effective. Essentially, blood oxygen saturation gauges the quality of heart and lung health. Lower readings indicate that the tester is unfit or suffers from an ailment or illness.
In addition, one of the biggest negative influences of lung health is smoking. Smokers tend to experience drastic improvements in both their mental and physical health if they can gain control of their habit or completely curb it. Changes include better mood regulation, increased lung capacity, and improved fitness levels, and an overall increase in energy levels.
Moreover, there are a variety of ways you can work to improve your blood oxygen level.
- Exercise: During workouts, the body has to work hard to keep SpO2 levels up. This can over time permanently increase SpO2 levels even when you are not exercising. An hour of aerobic exercise, for example, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or dancing at least three times a week can make a marked improvement in your SpO2 levels.
- Fresh air: Sounds funny, but you can also increase oxygen levels by simply increasing the amount of oxygen you breath. Working out outside often can do this, opening windows in your house or offices, and increasing the number of live plants in your surroundings. These small changes will increase your fresh oxygen intake.
- Diet: Consuming foods such as raw fruits, green vegetables, seeds, and nuts will draw more oxygen into the blood and markedly improve SpO2 levels over time as they are rich in chlorophyll.
- Deep breathing: Oxygen deficiency can be dealt with by practicing deep breathing for a few minutes each day. Deep breathing entails filling the lungs to full capacity by expanding the chest and abdomen.
Understanding blood oxygen levels is important for everyone. However, it is particularly useful for those who exercise and is essential for people who suffer from low blood oxygen levels, such as those diagnosed with sleep apnea. However, while SPO2 provides an insight into your blood oxygen level, it is not a complete and comprehensive measurement of a person’s health. SPO2 measurements with an SPO2 sensor or an SPO2 monitor simply merely indicate that a diagnostic testing is needed, or other treatments should be taken into consideration.
Doctors will often monitor your oxygen levels. These can be monitored by using a pulse oximeter. You can monitor your own oxygen levels at home by purchasing your own pulse oximeter. Still, what is the best way of interpreting your oxygen levels? What do they mean? Here’s what to know.
What is partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2)?
This is the most accurate oxygen level that we monitor. It’s how much oxygen is inside your arterial blood. A perfect reading would be 104. However, anything between 80-100 is considered acceptable. A PaO2 of 60-79 is considered mild hypoxemia. A PaO2 of 40-79 is considered moderate hypoxemia, and a PaO2 of less than 40 is considered severe hypoxemia.
Hypoxemia is a fancy term for a low arterial blood oxygen level. Most experts accept the PaO2 value of 60 as the baseline value we want to maintain. If COPD is causing a PaO2 of less than 60, supplemental oxygen is indicated. Usually, with COPD, all that is needed is a low flow of 2-3 LPM. This is usually all that is needed to maintain a PaO2 of 60 or better. If you want, you can read my article, 'How To Qualify For Home Oxygen Therapy?'
There is only one way to learn what your PaO2 is. It is to draw blood from one of your arteries. The artery we usually draw it from is the radial artery. This is an artery that is near the surface on the thumb side of the back of your wrist. This test is called an Arterial Blood Gas (ABG). This is an invasive blood draw.
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What is oxygen saturation (SpO2)?
SpO2 is another oxygen level. It’s the percentage of oxygen molecules you inhale that make it to your arterial blood. A perfectly normal value is 98%. However, anything greater than 90% is considered acceptable. For some people with COPD, doctors consider anything between 88-92% to be acceptable.
This value is determined using a pulse oximeter. It’s a small, hand-held device that you slip over a finger, toe, or earlobe. You can purchase these in stores. The ones you buy for your home are usually ones that slip over your finger.
These devices can be purchased for less than $30. You can get them from online stores like Amazon. I have seen them at stores like Aldi. The trick here is that you will want to make sure the one you buy is FDA approved. This will ensure that you are getting an accurate reading.
How are pulse oximeters helpful?
Normal Spo2 For Elderly
Pulse oximeters are helpful because they offer a simple, noninvasive way of determining your oxygen level. But your SpO2 level can also help determine your PaO2. This is by means of the 4-5-6-7-8-9 Rule.
It goes like this.
- 40 PaO2 equals an SpO2 of 70%
- 50 PaO2 equals an SpO2 of 80%
- 60 PaO2 equals an Spo2 of 90%
Basically, you take your SpO2 value minus 30. This gives an 'estimate' of where your PaO2 stands. By doing my own experiments, I have determined this 'estimated' PaO2 to be pretty accurate.
So, if your pulse oximeter gives you a reading of 90%, this means that your estimated PaO2 is 60. That’s right about where we want it. This is why the hospital I work for has a policy of maintaining a SpO2 of 90%. There are some exceptions that we can discuss in a future post if you want.
A helpful tool
Pulse oximeters are nice. They allow you and doctors to monitor your oxygen level at pretty much any time and place. It’s simple, painless, and accurate as long as you have a pulse oximeter that is FDA approved. You should talk to your doctor about determining what SpO2 level is best for you. For most people, it’s 90% or better. However, with some people with COPD, 88% is acceptable too. To learn what oxygen levels are best for you, talk to your COPD doctor.